"Alright, that was Bette on the phone." Ben said quick as Maria's and Annie's eyes grew big.
"Well what did she say? What has happened?" Annie was anxious to know.
"Olivia is fine, she just woke up from her surgery. Her left shoulder is damaged but it's nothing serious...she tried to keep Elaine from getting shot and got herself wounded, one false move and she could have taken the bullet.. who knows, maybe in the heart or the lungs..." Ben stated somewhat impressed at Olivia's actions.
"That's so...not Olivia..." Annie had to comment.
"My God Ben..." Maria paused, "but what about Elaine?"
"When we left she was still in surgery. Apparently there is still no news on her...I'm sorry."
"Ben we need to tell Sean and Emily about this. We promised aunt Bette!" Annie rushed out of the car and into the hotel.
Ben and Maria rushed to follow her inside, finding Sean at the reception with Emily.
"Then I guess everything's set. You have the number of my fathers credit card, his company will come up for the damage." Sean decided.
"Thank you mr Richards." The receptionist said relieved.
"Sean? Sean what are you doing?" Ben questioned.
"Taking care - or better yet, cleaning after my fathers mess." Sean replied cold.
"Sean how can you even think of charging your fathers business card with this? The situation with the riot isn't cleared yet, we..." He paused avoiding to say the whole situation would become police matter after the shooting, "this is insurance business, not your fathers."
"I'm sorry Ben but these people here need to know that the damage caused is being taken care of. And since neither my father nor AJ have the decency to come here and take responsibility for their deeds, I thought I would do them this favor. Where even are they?" Sean asked angry, "let me guess, fighting each other verbally on some obscene level, pulling my mom, Cole and Caitlin into this, hm?"
"Sean..." Annie tried.
"Annie stay out of this, okay, I'm really sick and tired of cleaning after the mess my parents make and even be accused of taking the wrong decisions! Maybe if my father would be here and stood up for his faults, I wouldn't have to take decisions around here in the first place!"
"That's enough Sean!" Ben got angry.
"You should really calm down." Maria advised motherly.
Sean shook his head and laughed.
"Look Sean, it's not your responsibility to take care of this kind of things. Nobody is expecting anything of you. You are here to support your family and us. I brought you here as my employee." Ben made it clear.
"I might be your employee Ben, but I'm my fathers son first of all aren't I?" He said leaving all puzzled. "It shouldn't wonder you that I take decisions without asking or without thinking what other people might think or feel. I had the best teacher when it comes to that!" He expressed bitter while Annie, Maria, Ben and Emily looked at each other concerned at the amount of bitterness Sean held against Gregory.
Maria sighed deep: "listen, Sean, you really need to calm down. There - there is something that you need to know." She intoned with a serious voice.
"Hey Ricardo." Casey came closer.
"Hey." Ricardo said short.
"Look, I think there are some things we need to talk about..."
"Not now Casey. I'm busy getting all this information gathered regarding the riot. As soon as we get back to Sunset Beach I will have to get to the bottom of this. What should have been a business trip and family vacation turned out to become work for me." Ricardo intoned with a certain accusation in his tone.
"Ricardo I'm sorry but this trip here turned out just as bad for me and my mother as well. I need to set some things straight with you, with everybody actually. You need to believe me when I say I didn't plan for this to happen. Least of all Sarah. She never wanted this to begin with." Casey tried to protect Sarah.
"Look, i appreciate the "confession" but things are a bit more complicated than that."
"Why won't you let Paula help you?" Casey asked without thinking.
"Are you serious? Paula has absolutely nothing - nothing to do with any of this! Do you really expect me to just take the fact she came here out of the blue and, what, let her investigate with me on this?"
"All I'm saying ist that she won't let it go and you know it. She's determined to find out what the hell is going on here because of her mother and Olivia. She knows the "three Macbeth witches" have a history and she's positive they're somehow involved." Casey tried to be funny.
"Everybody is "involved"" Ricardo threw back the quotation marks, "What do you think I'm trying to do here!? I'm trying to get to the bottom of this!" Ricardo barked while Casey kept quiet. "Look, I will have to do a full research first in order to determine the nature of this riot and the real intentions behind it. As I assume concern for our nature was not one of those reasons." Ricardo was sarcastic.
"Your assumptions are right Detective!" Samuel walked in the building of the Palm Springs police department as Casey and Ricardo turned around confused. Sarah, Alex and Paula also noticed Samuel walking in and looking like he hadn't slept in the past couple of days, his worried face expression telling them there was something going on.
"Samuel. What are you talking about?" Ricardo started to worry himself.
"Look, can we talk in private? I just came back from the hospital..." he started to whisper, "there is something you need to know."
"What do you mean Maria? What is it that I need to know?" Sean was curious.
"Maybe we should sit down somewhere first." She tried.
"No! I don't need to sit down. Now tell me what's going on?" Silence. "You were at the hospital weren't you? Maria?! Ben?!" They just looked at each other not knowing how to inform Sean the softest way possible. "What, tell me, what did my parents do this time?"
"Sean...please try to understand first. Things got somewhat out of control in that hospital. There were - there were people injured." Ben began.
"People? Who? Ben!" Emily started worrying herself.
"Sean. Your mother and Elaine Stevens got shot." Ben admitted finally while Sean couldn't believe what he just heard.
"No!" Emily managed to let out.
"Listen to me Sean, your mother is fine. Olivia is just fine, she's just wounded." Maria assured him but he wasn't reacting.
"Emily aunt Bette is fine, don't worry." Annie rushed to explain.
"Oh my God but how? How did it happen?" Emily was still in shock.
"I can tell you how it happened. That bastard!" Sean shouted and ran away.
"Sean! Sean please stop! Where are you going? Sean!?" Emily ran after him.
"He's going after Gregory isn't he?" Annie asked the obvious.
"I'm afraid so. I need to get back to the hospital and talk some sense into him. The last thing Gregory and Olivia need right now is Sean pointing fingers at his father." Ben voiced his concern.
"He doesn't even know what happened. He doesn't know it was Caitlin who shot both." Annie worried herself.
"Ben. Listen to me. Be careful!" Maria asked him.
"I will. Now you and Annie go and change and I'll meet you there later." Ben made his way to the hospital.
Tobias walked on the beach as it started to get gradually darker outside. The old man inhaled the light breeze that rang in the summer season and looked towards the pier. He turned around slightly and admired the Richards house. One Ocean Avenue. The bright smile that overcame him settled on his face as he started remembering one of the numerous letters he exchanged with his nephew.
December 1975
„Dear Gregory,
I don't even know what to begin this letter with, there are so many things I would like to tell you, so many wonderful news you gave me, news that I would love to share with you personally...but I'm afraid I can't.
First of all let me congratulate you and your wife on the beautiful wedding. The pictures are so beautiful. She is beautiful just like you've described her.
I can't believe my brother actually agreed on you marrying this girl. I mean, this young woman sounds like an unearthly dream coated in heavenly bliss - but her social status is nothing compared to yours. Don't get me wrong, I am the last one to judge people based on that but I know my brother and I know nothing would make him more proud than for you to marry a rich heiress. I wonder if this means the old man is starting to change his ways for your sake and for Anna's sake. Your mother seems to be very fond of this girl. Maybe your father finally understands we need peace in the family once and for all and accepts your feelings and decisions. It gives me hope and the perspective of a better future for all of us.
I am looking forward to reading more about your miss Great Britain. Funny enough that she's from London, maybe if you'll both visit her family, I could join you...maybe this girl will be the one to bring us all back together one day...
But look at you Greg, all grown up, ready to build a family of your own. The little boy that used to be reluctant to rules, especially the rules of chess, is ready to drop his attitude and settle down. Heck I remember you taking all my pieces from the board and telling me you had to win because you were meant to win, born to win. And now you're up and running a business, building your own future and life and I couldn't be more proud! You are indeed winning son. At everything.
I remember the house you told me about. When your father and I used to run challenges, wich one of us will be the one to buy it when we're older. I remember all our friends envied the people living there, everyone wanted to live in that house. I remember it dearly. It was huge, impressive, singular, just the way your life with this girl is going to be. So the fact that you bought it doesn't surprise me in the slightest, it's perfect for you and her.
I hope you'll think of sending your old uncle a couple more photographs of you once you settled down, let me be a part of your life this way. I can't tell you how happy you make me with every letter you write!
I just searched my cabinet for a bottle of something to celebrate. You know I'm not into drinking but I have this beautiful bottle of Champaigne and I'm raising my glass on you son.
To you, to Olivia, to your future together. To One Ocean Avenue!"
He sighed heavy to the thoughts of the letters and the photographs he exchanged with Gregory throughout the years. He savored each one as if he was a part of that life, as if e was there. Regret took over the old man as he laughed miserably at the thought of everything that went wrong in the past. False pride and wrong decisions keeping all from being truly happy and fulfilled. None of his wishes came true, he realized. Gregory's father didn't learn anything, he didn't accept Olivia because he respected Gregory's wishes or wanted the family to be at peace, he accepted her because he knew AJ would go crazy at the thought of his son bedding her. It was always games. Games and lies and more games. Even tough he figured Gregory would have left everything behind for Olivia, he wouldn't have cared about his fathers "problems" with her social status. The proof was the fact that she was still the most important human being in his nephews life, up to this day. Unfortunately, Olivia hadn't brought them together, even tough she begged Gregory numerous times to invite Tobias to the States, they never met. Not until the day Gregory decided to play Broadway Theatre with his family.
As he continued walking with heavy little steps, Tobias found himself in the middle of the town. He looked around the houses and realized how little changes took place since he was here the last time, only the names and commercials of the shops replaced. The houses were the same. He saw the butcher Joes piggy sign in front of his inner eye where the new sign said Barber today. He saw old Alma's winery over today's computer shop. He smiled.
Strolling down the street he couldn't help feeling awkwardly moved looking at the antiques store he has basically spent his childhood in, surprised to read „Sunset Sisters" on the shops commercial. He wondered what that shop was and felt the need to take a closer look. The windows were the same, even the door was the same, just new paint covering it decently.
The sign said closed but Tobias couldn't help pressing the doorknob and opening the door to hear a little bell ring.
„I'm sorry sir, we're closed." Meg was quick to say as she came startled out of the stock.
„Oh- w-well im Sorry miss..." Tobias waited for her to complete his sentence.
"It's Mrs. Evans." She said somewhat stiff. "We're opening again tomorrow at nine am." She informed wanting to walk back into the stock.
Tobias held his breath for a second. Evans? Evans like Ben Evans? He was confused at the name because he knew from Gregory that Ben was in Palm Springs with Maria.
"Excuse me, mrs. Evans," he emphasized, "I don't intend to steal your precious time...it's just that, this shop here, it reminds me so much of my childhood. Would it be okay to look around for a little while?"
Meg looked confused and obviously disturbed by his request but she was tired of arguing and had other things on her mind so she agreed. "Just five minutes. I really need to go home."
"I'm forever grateful." Tobias bowed as Meg thought he looked awfully familiar to her.
Tobias wasn't sure if the objects in the shop were really there or if he just saw the clipping of his memories. He felt weird. Moved and sad all of the sudden.
As he made his way to one of the stands, he gulped heavy and caught his breath. "My God..."
"Are you alright?" Meg was impatient.
"Oh yes yes. I'm fine... T-tell me, how much for this mirror?" He asked quick.
"The what? Oh no, that mirror is just decoration. It's not for sale." She smiled.
"I said: how much?" He repeated the question leaving her puzzled.
"And I said, the mirror is not for sale. Now I will have to ask you to leave." She was annoyed.
"Mrs. Evans, right? Right. You don't seem to understand. I need this mirror! It's a ..." but he kept quiet knowing it was probably for the best not to tell Meg what that frame of the mirror with the decorations really was.
"Look, sir. I really don't have the time to discuss this with you. The mirror is not for sale and that's it!"
"Where do you have it from?" Tobias couldn't let go.
"Ahhh..." Meg sighed, "look, this mirror was hanging here when my sister and I took over the shop. I like it very much so that's why it's still here. Satisfied?" She got rude.
"You like it eh?" Tobias muttered under his breath, "Well! My look at the time. I'm sorry for stealing your very precious time, Mrs Evans. Good evening." Tobias figured he would get his hands on that frame one way or another.
"Good...evening." Meg said confused. "Sir? What was your name again?" But Tobias left without answering.
Gregory sat on one of the chairs with Bette who held her head in support. Neither of them could say a word. What was there left to say? What could you possibly say after listening to that? Gregory had to admit he had underestimated AJ by a long shot, thinking he was incapable of anything, let alone to pursue a vengeful plan over the past years and being successful at it. AJ had contributed to his downfall, to his breakup with Olivia, even to the presumed death of his child to some extent. And he did it with grace and a friendly smile on his face, tricking everyone into believing he was a good and caring man. What was there left to say? What was there left to admit and to acknowledge except the fact that he was wrong about AJ. Gregory Richards was wrong.
What was this? Another lesson life or God felt the need to teach him? Was this some kind of well deserved payback for menacing God the way he did when he thought his child had died? Was "God" sitting on his throne, adjusting his halo and smirking at him that day? Is there even a God, he wondered.
What was he going to do with Olivia now? How was he to calm her down after the breakdown she just had? How many more sedatives could the doctors give her to keep her calm? Would she start again with the dri...no! No. Just no. He couldn't allow himself to even think about that.
AJ stood in the room, obviously wondering what to do. The awkward silence that settled in the waiting room had him confused. Why wasn't Gregory at his throat again? Why was Bette silent? When did he ever witness Bette silent? Should he sit down or just stand there? He felt the need to run away again, to be spared what would probably come at him. Run. His entire life he ran. He swore he wouldn't do it again. But that was always his primary instinct: to run. He shook his head thinking that rats run away. Cockroaches run away. Lions fight and protect their lair, their cubs and the pack. He always thought himself to be a lion when in fact he was a cockroach. He survived everything life threw at him but he never lived. Always coming out after dark, when it was safe, observing from a distance and disappearing by daylight when everyone else lived. Gregory lived. He lived indeed.
AJ took a long look at the man sitting in front of him but Gregory's face didn't look like hate. Surprisingly, it didn't look like anything bad. It looked tired. Was the lion tired of fighting or was he just licking its wounds anticipating the day he'll be strong enough to make his move? AJ knew he had to live to find that out.
"I'm sorry, where can we find Paula Stevens?" Olivia's surgeon asked accompanied by another doctor.
Bette rushed to stand up: "Doctor, Elaine's daughter isn't here yet. Please, tell us, how is she? I'm her best friend. Livvy, you operated on her. She's her best friend. Please tell us!" She begged.
"Alright..." the doctors sighed, "the operation was a full success." They managed saying as Bette sighed relived and laughed. "But! I'm afraid the wounds are much more serious than the ones Mrs. Richards suffered."
"But how is she?!" Bette couldn't stand the suspense.
"I'm afraid she's in a coma. She's stable but..."
"What?!" Bette started crying again. "No. No you have to get her to wake up! Wake her up!" Gregory stood up to grab Bettes shoulders in support.
"Listen, her body has suffered a massive trauma. The bullet shattered her shoulder blade, we had to remove the parts that were in her right lung. It was a very heavy operation. She will wake up when she's ready. I need you to please inform her daughter and get her here, we need some more information." The doctor explained as Bette just nodded her head.
"Oh God!" Bette let herself fall back into the chair. "What if she won't wake up? What if?..."
"Doctor, is there anything to expect when she wakes up, like disability of some sort?" Gregory tried to keep his cool.
"As i Said, the operation was a full success. Giving the results, we don't expect her to be disabled in any way. Surely she will have trouble with her shoulder, we may have to operate again in the future. But we can't say for sure until she wakes up and we see how she's doing. If you'll excuse me, I will have to check on Mrs. Richards now. You should be worried at the amount of sedatives we had to give her to calm her down. Whatever is going on here, I suggest you drop it while you have the chance." The doctor looked at Gregory and AJ judgemental.
"Thank you doctor." Gregory replied not knowing what else to say. "Doctor?" He continued after a short pause.
"Mr. Richards?"
"When can my - Olivia be released?" he corrected.
"That depends on her state of mind when she wakes up. I would say tomorrow the earliest. But not, I repeat not if being around you," he looked at Bette and AJ as well, "means a nervous breakdown after the other!" He turned around and left.
"Samuel, what's going on?" Ricardo asked and Casey followed them automatically. Everyone else's attention was also pointed to him.
"Not here detective." Samuel didn't want to speak in front of so many.
"Okay, let's go in one of the counseling rooms. Officer?" Ricardo made sure it's alright as one of the officers nodded.
"Listen Ricardo. Im coming from the hospital. Something happened..."
"What? Come on don't make it harder on me than it has to be. Is it Maria? Annie?"
"No. No your sister and her friend are just fine. It's Olivia and Elaine. They've been shot Ricardo." He confessed as Ricardo opened his mouth in shock. "Olivia already woke up and she's going to be alright. There is no news on Elaine tough I'm afraid. She was still in surgery when I left the hospital. Ricardo? Ricardo?!" Samuel was worried at the lack of reaction.
"I'm sorry. I'm just...how? How the hell did that happen? Who did this?!" Ricardo whispered appalled.
"I haven't seen it all. All I know is that I came to the hospital to check out what was going on. I wanted to find Bette and tell her that her daughter was alright. When I arrived, Cole was on the ground floor with...with my employee Leo..."
"Leo? The guy you came with to Sunset Beach because of the Marina?"
"Exactly."
"Ben and Maria told me about him. But - go on. What happened?"
"Cole and Leo obviously had a dispute and Cole was just about to jump at him but I could stop him. Look I don't know what exactly happened but Cole insisted he wanted to know where everybody was. After Leo told us that everyone was on the roof of the hospital, we rushed upstairs. I kept asking Cole what was going on but he didn't answer, all he said was "I hope I'm not too late." When we made it to the rooftop...the gun was fired...Elaine was ..."
"Elaine was what?!"
"I saw Elaine standing in front of AJ. When the gun was fired, Olivia jumped to push her away and, and then I don't know - it happened so fast, in the blink of an eye. All I remember is that when I looked down, both Elaine and Olivia were lying on the floor all covered in blood."
"Oh my God... but who fired the gun? Who would want to shoot Elaine?"
Samuel sighed.
"Samuel! Tell me who fired the gun!"
"The bullet wasn't meant for Elaine Detective. The bullet was meant for AJ. And - it was Caitlin Richards who fired the gun." He admitted while Ricardo dropped his jaw again in shock.
Gregory walked into Olivia's room again and expected to find her sleeping. To his surprise, she was awake and crying silently, her nose and eyes red from the sobbing.
"Olivia? Liv? You're awake." He didn't know what to say.
She didn't answer, she didn't even dare to look him in the eyes. "Liv. Why are you crying?" He took a seat on her bed and grabbed her hand while caressing her face.
"I - I can't help it. The tears won't, they just won't stop running." She said between sobs.
"Hey, shh. It's alright. I'm taking you home the first thing tomorrow morning. You and Trey and me, we'll go home." He tried.
"No Gregory we can't leave now. Not until we know what's happening to Elaine." Her statement left him wondering if she might have heard what the doctors just said. "She came to me."
"What?!" Gregory figured the sedatives were stronger than he thought.
"In my dream. She came to me. She - Elaine she cried and told me she was sorry that she couldn't stop this from happening. She said God is punishing her for her failures and that she won't ...she ... won't make it!" She cried desperate.
"Liv..."
"No Gregory you lied to me! Elaine is dying! You lied, you lied, you lied to me!" She repeated bursting again into tears.
"Please calm down. Olivia please, I don't want to have to call the doctors again to give you more sedatives. Please!" He begged as she tried to stop.
"They make me sick. I feel sick." She admitted.
"It's okay, you'll get better soon, just rest. I'm here and I'm taking care of everything." He did what he always did best, he was strong for her. Although he had to admit, this time he didn't know how much more strength was still left in him.
"But you lied to me! You told me Elaine was fine and she's not!" She shouted as Gregory felt goosebumps forming on his body. Could it really be that Elaine came to Olivia before leaving this earth? No! No, what the hell was he thinking?
"Sweetheart, Elaine is not dying. Look I lied, yes I lied to you because I wanted to protect you. You're in critical condition yourself, I wasn't allowed to tell you. But Elaine is not dying."
"I saw her Gregory! She said it herself, she might not make it! I screamed and begged her to hold on. To fight for herself, for Paula and Cole and...and her grandchild..."
"And she will. Trust her, she will. Now please try to calm down. The doctor is keeping an extra eye on you and on me for that matter. I want to get you out and away from here. Please stop so that we can walk out of this place. Together."
"Alright." She nodded weak trying to keep her cool. "I am so sorry..." she couldn't help saying.
"Sorry? What for?!"
"This is all my fault. Everything."
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm cursed Gregory. I have cursed myself the day I helped Del steal Cole and look what it did to us, to our entire family! I cursed you and our children that day!"
"Olivia don't do this to yourself." He grabbed her hand to kiss it.
"No! Gregory you have to listen to me: we are cursed. Everything I did, I summoned this curse upon us. It's not even AJ's fault, can't you see?" He thought he didn't hear well.
"Not AJ's fault?! Olivia he stalked us for three decades and planned a way to destroy us. He helped Annie and dr Brock steal our baby by letting them do that to you in his cabin! He then showed up into your life and managed to poison us until we signed those divorce papers. I'll never forget how triumphing he stood behind you knowing that it was our end. He...Olivia, how is that your fault?"
"He wouldn't have done it if I hadn't helped Del! Please don't try to convince me it's not my fault. I think it's awfully sweet of you..." she paused to smile at him, her tears still running, "but I have to accept it." She looked to the window and sobbed again. "I am cursed and I cursed out entire family altogether." Gregory knew it was pointless to argue with her right in that moment. He was afraid that if he'd push her further to let go of this crazy idea, she'll get so worked up that the doctors wont release her. He wanted to get her out of there, he wanted her and Trey to be safe with him, somewhere far away from this place and all the people actually.
Watching Olivia's sobs get weaker as she closed her eyes, he realized for the first time in his life he actually thought about running away. He'd take her on the other side of the globe if he could, if it was up to him. But it wasn't.
"Sleep tight my dear, sleep tight and regain your strength. You are a fighter Liv, a fighter, you hear me? No one - no one will break us. And certainly not now after we've been trough so much and finally found our way back to each other." He whispered but she was already in another world. Gregory rested his head on her stomach and caressed her hand, wishing he could just close his eyes as well and make everything go away.
"Are you absolutely sure about this?" Ricardo was searching for reasons to discard what he just heard.
"Look I know what I saw. And i can't believe it myself but it's what happened. Ask your sister, ask Ben, Bette, Gregory. Everybody was there." Sam explained.
"You're telling me everyone was there watching Caitlin trying to shoot AJ?"
"That's right. While we waited for news on Olivia, Bette told me that everybody tried to talk Caitlin out of it. But she lost it, she said it was the only way for all of us to find peace and especially for her child to grow up without the drama that AJ and Gregory caused for the past decades. She...she didn't see another way out..."
"Oh man...this is not happening!" Ricardo pinched the bridge of his nose. "So what happened after that? Is Caitlin ...is she, a threat?"
"A threat? God no! Look Annie and Bette both told me she was about to lower the gun. She didn't want to go trough with it, it was just - emotion, fear...that she couldn't handle but she wouldn't have pulled the trigger!" Samuel defended her.
"Well I don't think her own mother or Elaine would press any charges against her...but..."
"It was an accident Ricardo. Cole and I - we both scared her when we barged out. She fainted immediately because of the shock."
"But, is she alright?"
"Yes. She's fine. Her baby is fine too. Just a massive shock."
"Goddamn this...whole..."
"I know. But there is more Ricardo." Samuel said anxious.
"More? What are you talking about?"
"Look, remember before the board meeting started and we didn't know what happened to Greg and Olivia that morning?"
"Sure, I told Antonio I was fearing they wouldn't manage to keep their affairs together and they would ruin the whole thing." Ricardo remembered his concern.
"Yes well, if there is one thing you should know about them is, that whatever they do, they always put their priorities with their responsibilities and even more, they always stick together..."
"Yeah, well you never know with those two, you haven't seen them last year." Ricardo paused. "But I guess you're right, I haven't seen anyone more dedicated to each other, even when Olivia was suspected for Dels murder, Gregory never left her side for a second even tough rumor had it he himself doubted her innocence." He had to chuckle.
"What's funny?" Samuel was clearly confused.
"Nothing, it's just that come to think of it, my brother in law took quite some example from his mentor... Samuel, tell me. What happened that morning?"
"Well, before we went upstairs, Bette asked to talk to me. She told me - God I can't believe I'm actually going to admit to you what a bling fool I have been! - she told me that my "employee" "Leo"", he emphasized on the quotation marks sarcastically, "was the same Leo Foster that helped blackmail Gregory two years ago."
"What?! Are you sure?!"
"Unfortunately yes. Bette was very suspicious and well it turns out he schemed his way around sunset Beach for a month, gathering information on the Richards."
"But he's working for you, how? I don't get it?"
"He was at Olivia's radio station first. When she and Bette found out what he had done, she fired him and he applied for a job in LA in my company. He knew I'd do business with Olivia sooner or later this year. I have an annual meeting with all the radio station holders on the west coast, so he knew he'll have a chance to strike sooner or later."
"But he couldn't wait could he? He invented this Marina project and came here with you supposedly to prepare the project."
"Yes. Look, when Olivia and Greg finally made it downstairs, Bette hurried to help Olivia with whatever she had planned for the meeting. I came a little later if you recall?"
"Yeah. You were outside on the phone."
"I had Leo checked up, well, what was possible on such short notice. I left him in Sunset Beach to finalize the feasibility study on the Marina so that we could discuss it when we return."
"Let me guess...he was here all this time?"
Samuel nodded.
"But, he must be staying at some other hotel, we would have known."
"I'm afraid you couldn't have known..."
"I can't seem to follow. Jude and I had a list with the bookings for these days. There was no Leo Foster on that list."
"Ahh...Ricardo...that's because his name isn't Leo Foster..."
